The technical field of the present invention is that of articles that can be securely coupled to an existing conventional, wall-mounted, horizontal towel bar using only friction and gravitationally induced forces (i.e., fasteners such as nails, screws, or adhesives are not used). More particularly, the technical field of the present invention is of such articles that are portable shelves capable of holding sundry articles customarily found in a bathroom such as shampoo bottles and bars of soap while also providing a bar that may be used to hold towels.
A desire for an auxiliary shelf and towel bar has long existed. U.S. Pat. No. 4,181,382 shows a cabinet consisting of two solid shelves that are each longer than the distance between the associated conventional towel bar""s brackets and shelves that extend well forward of the associated conventional towel bar. The top shelf is connected to the associated conventional towel bar by spring-like numeral-seven-shaped brackets of undulating form with alternating projections and towel-rack-rod fitting recesses that are secured at one end only to the underside of the top shelf. An auxiliary towel rod is secured to the forward part of the top shelf. This is a relatively heavy appliance with a significant part of its mass (and the auxiliary towel rod) well forward of the flexible attachment to the conventional towel bar. The burden on the conventional towel rod is expected to be significant and the forces of objects on the forward part of the shelf, which includes any towels on the auxiliary towel rod, will produce a moment that will tend to dismount the cabinet. The large size of the shelves and their solid nature encourages overloading the shelves and exacerbating the expected significant static load on the conventional towel bar. The present invention includes among its objectives having a minimal mass, a single open frame shelf usually shorter than the distance between the associated conventional towel bar""s brackets that does not entice overloading, and an attachment scheme and loading moments that tend to aid attachment to its associated conventional towel bar.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,432 shows three solid, fixed shelves placed above the associated conventional towel bar. The use of solid shelves encourages overloading and the placement of all of the loads above, and distant from, the pivot with the associated conventional towel bar tends to reduce the stability of the assembly. The use of a fixed width precludes adjustment to accommodate different spacings of the brackets of the associated conventional towel bracket. The present invention includes among its objectives having a minimal mass, a single open frame shelf close to the associated conventional towel bar that does not entice overloading, and a scheme allowing easy adjustment of the width by the user without the need for tools.
A set of U.S. patents to Vignale (including U.S. Pat. Nos. D299,894 and 4,827,849) shows a single fixed, solid shelf supported on, and above, its associated conventional towel bar that allows use of the associated conventional towel bar. Most of the wall touching surface is above the pivot point on the conventional towel bar, and all of the load bearing surface is above the pivot point, compromising stability. The shelf may contain a front raised peripheral rim that will tend to be struck by an object being removed from the shelf creating a significant overturning moment. In addition to the aforementioned relevant objectives of the present invention that include an open frame shelf and easy width adjustment, the present invention also has an objective of placing the majority of the wall touching surface, and some of the load, below the associated conventional towel bar so as to enhance stability.
Additional objects of the present invention will be apparent from the descriptions and claims presented hereafter.
The present invention is a light weight, portable shelf that is intended to be mounting on an existing, conventional, wall affixed towel bar using only friction and gravitationally induced forces. When so mounted, the shelf occludes the conventional towel bar and is capable of holding sundry articles customarily found in a bathroom while also providing at least one bar that may be used to hold towels. The preferred embodiment of the shelf further provides a hook that may be used to hold objects such as a bar of soap with an embedded loop of rope. While the present invention is intended to be used in conjunction with a conventional towel bar, the present invention will also have other utility that will be apparent to a user.
The preferred embodiment of the present invention uses two identical vertical brackets of uniform thickness that are pierced by through-openings slidably mating with multiple horizontal rods of uniform cross-section such that the distance that the brackets are spaced apart may be adjusted. Most often, the distance between the outside edges of the brackets is adjusted to be slightly less than W, the inside distance of the associated conventional towel bar, so that the resultant shelf may be snugly placed on the conventional towel bar. While the inside distance W of a conventional towel bar is typically 14 inches (365 mm), variations are known and may be accommodated by the present invention.
The side appearance of a preferred bracket resembles the capital Greek letter gamma with a vertical back that conforms to the wall, a top that is pierced by multiple rods lying in a horizontal plane, a bottom pierced by at least one rod that is spaced from the wall, and a front that extends downward from a point in front of the towel bar (A) to a point that is behind the towel bar and closer to the wall (B). The inside distance between the wall and the surface of the towel bar proper that is closest to the wall is referred to as N. As mounted on a conventional towel bar, the backward and downward sloping front of each shelf bracket rests on the towel bar proper at a point somewhat farther from the wall than N and above the center of the towel bar proper. A and B are selected so that a range of Ns may be automatically accommodated. A preferred bracket is also pierced by lightening holes that advantageously have triangular or trapezoidal edges and a preferred bracket has a hook at the front of its bottom.
The rods of the preferred embodiment of the present invention have an essentially uniform cross-section preferably either in the shape of circles, ovals or rectangles. The expected lengths of the rods of the preferred embodiment are close to W. The use of rods composed of an essentially transparent lucite and having a circular cross-section has been found particularly appropriate. The preferred embodiment uses five top rods. While not part of the preferred embodiment, the invention encompasses one or more rods protruding past the outside edge of one or more of the brackets.
The essentially horizontal surface formed by the top rods, supported by the brackets, implements a porus shelf that includes among its attributes a minimizing of mass as compared to a solid shelf and an open structure that does not encourage overloading. The position of the bottom rod nearly under the associated conventional towel rod, and the extent and position of the vertical backs of the brackets that conform to the wall, result in forces that increase the stability of the assembly when a towel (or the like) is placed on the bottom rod.
Alternate embodiments may be formed using more than two brackets resulting in a shelf that has enhanced stiffness, brackets of other than uniform thickness, brackets with different but equivalent shapes, rods of various colors and compositions, rods having only end portions that mate with associated socket openings in the brackets, rods shorter than W or longer than W, and other variations that will be apparent to one skilled in the art.
The shelf is mounted by looping its bottom over the towel bar and lowering the shelf onto the towel bar. The inherent ease of mounting and demounting the shelf, and its inherently light weight, recommends its use by individuals (such as travelers and those in the military) who use communal bathrooms.